Agenda Day 1

9:00 am

Introduction & Overview

Matt Janz, Esq. , Program Co-Chair
Attorney General's Office / Olympia, WA

Jamie Morin, Esq. , Program Co-Chair
Confluence Law PLLC / Spokane, WA

9:15 am

Water Resource Program: State of the Agency

Current policy priorities and what to expect considering continued severe resource constraints

Ria Berns , Water Resources Manager
Department of Ecology / Olympia, WA

9:45 am

The Water Code as a Structural Foundation for Securing Water Rights and Managing Washington's Water Resources

The prior appropriation system; beneficial uses, relinquishment, recission, abandonment, and the applicability of exemptions; interplay with in-stream water rights; and water code enforcement mechanisms

Erik M. Borgen, Esq.
Adams & Duncan Inc PS / Everett, WA

Emerging legal issues: Status report on implementation of recent legislation and cases to watch at the administrative level

Matt Janz, Esq. , Program Co-Chair
Attorney General's Office / Olympia, WA

11:00 am

Break

11:15 am

Water Code Enforcement

Lessons from recent enforcement actions, creative settlement approaches, tools used by compliance staff, and tips for responding to "Technical Assistance" letters

Kellie A. Gillingham , Northwest Region Water Master
Department of Ecology / Bellevue, WA

12:00 pm

Lunch Break

1:15 pm

The 2026 Water Year Assessment and Washington's April 2026 drought emergency declaration: How, and to what extent, will snow drought, evaporation from warmest year on record, and transition to a strong El Nino will lead to supply vulnerabilities

The 2026 Water Year Assessment and Washington's April 2026 drought emergency declaration: How, and to what extent, will snow drought, evaporation from warmest year on record, and the transition to a strong El Nino lead to supply vulnerabilities

Karin Bumbaco , Deputy State Climatologist
Washington State Climate Office / Seattle, WA

Measuring the impact of persistent drought on groundwater available for pumping: Methodologies for establishing the impact on specific aquifers and the magnitude of the impact; options for dealing with the impacts

Chris V. Pitre , Founder
Coho Water Resources / Seattle, WA

2:45 pm

Break

3:00 pm

Adjudications

Status report on the Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 1 ("Nooksack") adjudication

Robin McPherson, Esq. , Adjudication Manager
Department of Ecology / Olympia, WA

Update on WRIA 1 Steering Committee: Progress report on the committee's work to provide the court with recommendations regarding procedure and case management

Kristen A. Cavanaugh, Esq.
Belcher Swanson / Bellingham, WA

Tribal perspective on procedure, case management, and effective participation in the adjudication

Jay Weiner, Esq.
Rosette LLP / Sacramento, CA

5:00 pm

Adjourn Day 1

Friday, October 30, 2026

9:00 am

Water Right Changes and Transfers

Changes in use and other problematic areas; what to expect for challenges; legal and technical tips for preparing successful applications and challenges; cost reimbursement contracts as an option for expediting application review

James D. Howsley, Esq.
Jordan Ramis / Vancouver, WA

Dan Haller, PE, CWRE , Principal Engineer
Geosyntec Consultants / Yakima, WA

Water Conservancy Boards: What they are, who serves on the boards, and how they fit into the picture for water rights changes and transfers

Charles Brushwood, Esq. , Fish & Wildlife Policy Advisor
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation / Omak, WA

10:15 am

Water Banking; Mitigation; and Changing Technology

Case study: Thurston County's grant from Ecology to purchase water rights from a water bank set up to support development and protect water resources in the Chehalis Basin

Bryan Benjamin , Natural Resources Program Manager
Thurston County / Olympia, WA

11:00 am

Break

11:15 am

Emerging Resource Management Issues: Data Center Building Design Impacts on Energy and Water Usage

Perspectives on the water implications (quality and quantity) of data centers, including water usage and northwest fisheries management, and the trade-offs between water usage and energy efficiency with different cooling systems

Elijah Cetas, Esq. , Energy Analyst
Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission / Portland, OR

Ben Burnett , Senior Associate
PAE Consulting Engineers / Seattle, WA

12:00 pm

Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB) Practice Tips

Discovery, authentication of exhibits, how ELUHO ALJ's view the evidentiary hearings

Barbara Ehrlichman, Esq. , Administrative Appeals Judge
Environmental and Land Use Hearings Office / Olympia, WA

12:30 pm

Evaluations and Adjourn

Faculty Bios

Matt Janz, Program Co-Chair, is an Assistant Attorney General on the Water Resources Team in the Ecology Section of the Washington Office of the Attorney General. He advises the Washington Department of Ecology on water resource issues, primarily in Eastern Washington.

Jamie Morin, Program Co-Chair, Confluence Law PLLC assists clients with the acquisition, transfer, and adjudication of water rights, compliance with public water system regulations, environmental review, and compliance with various state and federal environmental regulations.

Bryan Benjamin is the Natural Resources Program Manager at Thurston County Community Planning & Economic Development. He manages conservation and restoration projects under the county's Habitat Conservation Plan and Streamflow Restoration Program. He also develops long-term initiatives to protect working lands, improve habitat, and manage water resources.

Ria Berns is the Water Resources Manager for the Department of Ecology. She has worked in Ecology's water resource program for the past 13 years.

Erik M. Borgen, Adams & Duncan Inc PS, is a real estate and natural resources attorney. Prior to joining Adams and Duncan, he practiced at a boutique natural resources and Indian law firm in Seattle, advising clients on water rights, shorelines, and stormwater.

Charles Brushwood is Fish & Wildlife Policy Advisor for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. He also serves on the Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board and as Chair of the Okanogan County Water Conservancy Board.

Karin Bumbaco has been the Deputy State Climatologist in the Office of the Washington State Climatologist, now part of the UW Climate Impacts Group, since 2008. Her research focuses on Washington state weather and climate and includes projects on historical heat events and recent droughts.

Ben Burnett, a Senior Associate at PAE Consulting Engineers, He is a mechanical engineer working in the firm's Regenerative Design Group and experienced in HVAC design, energy modeling, and building operation to help design teams create some of the nation's most sustainable buildings.

Kristen A. Cavanaugh is a partner at Belcher Swanson PLLC an a member of the Steering Committee for the WIRA 1 Adjudication. She previously served as a Tribal Attorney for the Nooksack Indian Tribe and as a Deputy Prosecutor for Whatcom County.

Elijah Cetas is an Energy Analyst in the Policy Development and Litigation Support Department at the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. He is tasked with implementing the Tribal Energy Vision for the Columbia Basin.

Barbara Ehrlichman is an Administrative Appeals Judge for the Washington State Environmental and Land Use Hearings Office and a trained mediator. She previously served as the Chief Civil Deputy for the Island County Prosecuting Attorney's Office and as a Deputy Hearing Examiner for the City of Seattle.

Kellie A. Gillingham is the Northwest Region Water Master for the Department of Ecology. In that capacity, she is the senior Water Resources compliance and enforcement person for WRIAs 3, 4, and 5, also known as the Skagit and Stillaguamish Basins. Prior to becoming a water master, she was an Environmental Specialist for the agency.

Dan Haller is a Prin cipal Engineer at Geosyntec Consultants focusing on water rights and systems. His background includes management of storage and conservation projects; water banking and water rights transfers; and water system design, planning, and financial planning.

James D. Howsley is a shareholder at Jordan Ramis. He represents companies, developers, and builders throughout the Pacific Northwest in a range of complex land use/development projects, including advocacy for large scale master planned developments throughout Washington and Oregon, getting new land into urban growth areas, and working with local governments on complex and creative financing tools to build necessary infrastructure.

Robin McPherson is the Adjudication Manager for the Department of Ecology. She previously represented the Ecology Water Resources Program as an Assistant Attorney General.

Chris V. Pitre is the Founder of Coho Water Resources. It is focused on integrated water resource management, including the considerations of natural and human systems and the technical and water resource management policy issues involved. Its services include analysis of groundwater supply, aquifer storage, and aquifer recovery.

Jay Weiner is Of Counsel to Rosette LLP. He has developed extensive expertise in federal Indian water law, has worked on multiple Indian water rights settlements, and has represented clients in adjudications and other water-related proceedings in California, Montana, and Oregon.

Continuing Education Credits

Live credits: This program qualifies for 9.25 WA MCLE, 9.25 AICP land use planner, and 9.25 ABCEP environmental professional credits. Upon request, we will help you apply for CLE credits in other states and other types of credits.

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